Cambodia’s Former Deputy PM Flees to Thailand After Insulting King
According to the Chiang Rai Times, Cambodia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Lu Law Sreng has fled to Thailand after facing threats of lawsuits for disparaging the King.
Prime Minister Hun Sen and the royalist party vowed to file lawsuits against him after a private phone conversation was leaked in which Lay Sreng insulted the king. In the conversation with former party official Ky Lum Ang, he referred to King Norodon Sihamoni as a “castrated chicken” and to Prince Norodom Ranariddh as an “idiot prince”. He also accused the royalist party, Funcinpec, of taking a $1 million-dollar bribe from the Prime Minister.
Current issues regarding Thailand family law are important for families that cross borders due to having different residences or due to business travel.
In response, Funcinpec and the PM immediately announced plans to sue Lay Sreng for defamation. Under Cambodian law, defamation only applies to comments made in public, but nevertheless, the PM warned that he intends to file a complaint with the municipal court today.
In response, Lay Sreng boarded a Bangkok Airways flight to Thailand before formally apologizing. “I used some words but I did not intend to insult the King, I apologise to all compatriots, especially the Prime Minister and the King. I don’t have any political leanings”, he said in a public Facebook video.
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